Darkness is Cool

Help Keep us from Losing the Dark

A few weeks ago my company, Loch Ness Productions, in collaboration with the International Dark-Sky Association, released a short video called Losing the Dark. Since then we’ve seen it get downloaded thousands of times, including by planetarium folks who can show it in their domes.

I thought I’d bring it up again, particularly in light of Earth Hour, coming up on Saturday, March 23rd, 2013. From 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. in each time zone, we’re being asked to turn off the lights in a show of concern about Earth’s environment — and the role that excess lighting plays in consumption of fossil fuels.

So, in honor of Earth Hour, participate by turning off your lights, and check out Losing the Dark.Download the flat-screen version and show it in your schools, or at community groups to engender conversations about what we can all do to preserve dark skies (and our health). If you have a planetarium dome and want to show it there, check out the downloads for that, too. And, for that hour, go outside and check out the night sky (if the weather is clear). See what we’re missing by lighting up the night.

Finally, if you’re interested in learning more about ways to mitigate light pollution, check out the many good reports and downloadable information at the International Dark-Sky Association Web site. They’re the world leaders in learning about and solving problems related to excess light at night.